Taken from here.
Back in Australia the ABC were still conducting TV workshops. I Naturally said I wanted to go to Sydney, and Mr. Clem Semmler said "send her over, she can sit with my Secretary and help her when I wasn't busy with TV" there were no offices for eventual TV staff at this time. I think there were only two of us girls who had had any actual on-air experience, and I was immediately seconded to TV full time. Prue Bavin and I think Betty Robertson were also full time. It was a great thrill to work as the Script Assist. On the opening night's drama. Paul O'Loughlin was the Producer for the "Twelve Pound Look" starring Alexander Archdale. We were probably all a bit nervous, but everything went very smoothly. Helen Lockhart (now deceased) was the Floor Manager.
|
Our early years of TV were conducted from an old Army hut known as the Arcon at Gore Hill, which became very hot with all the lights. There were only about 40 staff and everyone got on and they were great days. At the start Dave Tapp, Les Weldon, and John Hicks were our main Technical Supervisors, along with a great team of cameramen - Rex Henry, Harry Adams were two of the originals... As things expanded I worked to one Producer Ray Menmuir, mostly on Drama and Opera. At this time my office was in the Drama Dept. in Market St. We held our dry runs in St. Peter's Hall, Kings Cross. When working on Drama, the set was drawn up on the floor, and the Producer walked around the actors, looking for camera positions through what was known as a black box with different size holes, representing different angle lenses, and I had to follow him making notes and comments to tell the actors later. The Producer was also the Director in those days, not separate positions as now. Everything for the show had to go on requisition forms, props, sets, costumes, makeup, graphics - Bill Kennard was the Graphics Sup. It was interesting to sit in while the Producer and Designer mapped out a set and between the Designer and Wardrobe, costumes were designed and made. Zilla Weatherby was Wardrobe Mistress, and we usually had a look when fittings for the actors were made. Then suddenly today was Production day and it became very exciting sitting in the control room above the studio (when we moved eventually to a proper studio), and the actors or dancers and singers were in costume. When the opera "La Boheme" was produced, it was the first time an actor was used to mime a singer, and this was successful. All programs in early days went 'live' to air, and we had some anxious moments. If the cameraman wasn't careful and knocked into one of the flats, the viewers saw the wobble of the set, heard the noises, but everyone just carried on. Or an actor had to be prompted, which fortunately didn't happen very often. Now, of course, if the slightest thing happens, the whole scene can be videotaped again - we didn't have such luxuries, and I think the fact that it was 'live' gave a certain excitement about it. ...I wanted to get back to Drama which was my first love, and when a vacancy occurred I moved in to work with Alan Burke. We had offices at this time in the Elizabethan Theatre Trust rooms at Kings Cross, and so had to do some travelling back and forth to Gore Hill. The last drama I worked on was "The Taming of the Shrew" with Ron Haddrick. We did some filming for the show in Centennial Park and we had a great day with cast in costume. |
No comments:
Post a Comment